And He Hoped
by Niphuria
Summary: Tarrant dreams that Alice came to him, but it felt so real that he begins to wonder if it had been more than just a dream...


I don't own Alice in Wonderland or any of its characters. Based on the 2010 Tim Burton film.

Rated M for explicit adult content.

Tarrant dreams that Alice came to him, but it felt so real that he begins to wonder if it had been more than just a dream...

This is a Companion Piece to "And She Knew." This story is based on the following lyrics from the song "Hallelujah" written by Leonard Cohen and sung by Rufus Wainwright.

This story is dedicated to Paradisical.

_"And she tied you to her kitchen chair  
She broke your throne and she cut your hair  
And from your lips she drew your Hallelujah"_

**And He Hoped**

Her face inevitably coalesced in his mind upon waking. Her image taunted him every day; her visage was imprinted upon the insides of his eyelids as he drifted off to sleep each night.

When was she coming back? _Would_ she return? She had promised. She had promised that she would do Things and answer Questions and then be Back before he knew it.

"Alice," Tarrant sighed, sagging onto his settee. He closed his eyes and allowed her image to form once more in his tormented mind. Surely she wouldn't have lied to him!

His eyes snapped open at the very thought. "Nay!" he shouted. "Don't even think such a thing, laddie!"

The Hatter was furious with himself. No, he shouldn't doubt Alice; now or ever. He had seen the pained look in her eyes as she had faded from his sight that wonderful and awful day. He had felt the palpable sadness lingering in the space where she had been before she vanished like mist. He remembered his hands reaching for her, fingers flexing hopefully, but meeting only air; but not entirely empty air. His eyes saw nothing, but his hands felt...something. Relief, longing, regret, optimism, dread, anticipation, and sorrow seeped through his battered hands and into his heart and brain. All of those feelings were tinged with a gilded golden edge of Promise.

Yes, she would return; it was just a matter of when.

Tarrant Hightopp removed his hat, coat, vest, and shoes, then settled his lean frame carefully across the settee. Resting the side of his face against its faded burgundy velvet as his eyelids languidly drifted closed, he rubbed his cheek against the fabric, imagining that it was Alice's soft cheek against his. He allowed himself a small, hopeful smile as Sleep gathered him into her arms, allowing Underland to grant him a boon.

* * *

"Tarrant?" The Hatter's eyelashes fluttered uncertainly at the sound of his given name. Had someone really uttered it, or were the tricky Voices teasing him again?

"Tarrant? It's me!" The Voice whispered to him once more, and it was a distinctly lovely, low, and breathy female voice. It sounded like...

"It's me, Tarrant! It's Alice!"

Tarrant bolted upright and his head painfully struck something. He cried out simultaneously along with the female personage whose head his happened to strike.

Suddenly he was eye to eye with Alice, and both were clutching their heads and staring at each other, baffled. Then they burst into peals of laughter, rubbing their foreheads. Alice composed herself first and playfully seized Tarrant's hands and clutched them in her warm grasp.

"It's so good to see you, Tarrant!" she said, blushing as her laughter subsided. Her eyes retained a humorous sparkle, however, and her Muchness shone forth like beacon of joy.

"How did you get here?" Tarrant asked, pulling their joined hands to his lips and placed several kisses along her knuckles quickly before his courage could fail him. Oh, yes, his courage could easily fail him, especially since the lovely lass was in her night-gown! He tried to not let his eyes betray any Bad thoughts. After all, he did not wish to frighten her. He wanted her to stay. Had she woken from a bad dream and come to him? Is that why she was not fully and properly clothed?

Her pale brow furrowed in thought. "I...I don't know, Tarrant. I don't remember." She pulled her hands away but Tarrant recaptured them and pulled them to his breast. He didn't want her to be afraid, and she was beginning to look quite like she was about to be.

"Hush, dearest," he whispered, kissing her knuckles again and then rubbing them against his cheek. Yes, she was real! He felt the warm flesh of her hand and nothing had ever felt so real and so right. No, she was not an illusion!

"You are here now, with me, and that's all that matters." Yes, she was here, and she must believe it as well, else they would...what? Something very unwanted would happen..._don't think about it!_

And here it was at last! After waiting for what seemed an interminable length of time for her return, he finally saw the smile he had been longing to see. Her smile; her softly pink, slightly shy, but utterly heart-felt smile of delight. That perfect Alice Smile enveloped him in a cloak of happiness and contentment that he had never felt before.

He liked it. He liked it and he knew that with this one taste, he never wanted to leave its embrace ever again.

"Yes," Alice murmured, "I'm here now, and that's all that matters. I've missed you so!" Her eyes misted with tears and her lips quivered slightly. "I'm really here, aren't I?"

Tarrant rose and pulled her night-gown clad form into his arms. He hugged her so tightly that he feared crushing her, but his angel did not resist or complain! In fact, she returned his embrace with equal ferocity.

"Yes, you are really here!" he said against the top of her head, mussing her delightfully tousled hair with his eager lips. "You are really, truly here, Alice!"

"I have a feeling that we mustn't think over-much," she said, pulling back to look into his eyes. "I think we are supposed to treasure every moment and not waste a single one!"

Tarrant cocked his head in thought. Her words were odd, yet felt eerily correct. Perhaps she...no! _ Don't think! If you think on it she'll disappear!_

Tarrant knew when to heed Voices and when to ignore them. Usually. This time he was certain that he should heed this Voice.

"Alice," he said, forcing his Muchness to surface and aid him, "I must tell you something! However, I fear that you may take offence. That is, I fear that you may not truly believe me, and I cannot have that. You are so dear to me and I would never, ever, risk our friendship..."

"Tarrant," she said, firmly placing a fingertip over his lips, "it's all right, whatever it is. Please, just tell me!" Her blue-silver eyes bored into his (certainly) emerald green ones. Alice added a bit of honey to her gentle coaxing with another smile. "Please?"

Oh, his heart would surely burst! Could it be? Was this sudden feeling of almost-certain-knowledge that was uncoiling inside his mind telling him the truth?

Tarrant found himself desperately wanting to stall for just a few more moments. Being almost certain was not the same as being Absolutely Certain. He released Alice from their hug, (reluctantly, of course!) and gently pulled her by her hand toward the kitchen. Tea and cookies are always a good prelude or solution for anything. Well, almost anything. What if... _Don't think!_

"Tea?" he asked her as they stood before his pantry.

"In a few minutes, perhaps," Alice said, her cheeks flushed and dimpling. "I want to hear what you have to say, first!"

Tarrant's hands shook and he felt his (damned traitorous!) Courage begin to desert him. After all, this was Alice! This was_the_ Alice! This was the most extraordinary woman in all existence! He was just a Hatter, and one a few cards short of a deck, at that.

"Tarrant!" Alice shifted to stand before him. Her body was so close to his that he felt her absolutely unmistakable feminine heat. She seemed unaware that she was quite indecently and improperly garbed. She was fully covered, true, but still...she was in her _night clothes_!

He still hadn't answered her question, and she deserved an answer. But, how could he speak to her and keep his traitorous eyes from wandering her form? That would be highly improper, and Alice would be quite put out! So, how was he to speak? Should he turn his back, avert his gaze, or...

"Tarrant, it's all right!" Alabaster hands suddenly cupped his flaming cheeks and azure eyes mesmerized him. Tarrant's Courage halted its flight and stood hesitantly beside him.

"Tarrant, you can tell me anything, you know." Her voice was gently compelling and vanilla sweet; not sweet with the sometimes Platitudes the White Queen would speak, but sweet with promise and naked sincerity.

His Courage wavered, then slipped back into his quivering frame, steadying him.

He swallowed.

"Alice, I love you," he said simply. He closed his eyes, unable to utilize enough of his recently returned Courage to watch her expression. "I don't know how long I've loved you, but it has been for a very long time. I've been quite miserable without you."

"I know." Her response whispered against his cheek, heating it further. Soft lips moved to his ear. "I love you, too, Tarrant, and I've been quite as miserable as you, I think. That's why I'm here. I was too unhappy to stay away any longer."

His eyes opened and saw her settle down from her tip-toes. Had he heard her correctly? He thought he must have, for a small smile curved her lips and her eyes were bright.

Without consciously willing it, his hand went to her cheek and cupped it. Alice leaned into his calloused palm and closed her eyes. She inhaled his scent and Tarrant's knees went weak. Such an intimate gesture! She wanted not only to feel him, but smell him!

Courage now being fully utilized, Tarrant pulled her against him and her face tilted upwards. The entire world slowed as he lowered his mouth to hers. When their lips finally met an eternity later, a wave of pure warmth and comfort and loving blanketed him. Peach-vanilla flesh moved beneath his lips and he eagerly returned her tentative exploration.

The hard little buttons of her night-dress pressed into his chest in a most disagreeable manner, but they were a minor irritation that he would soon remove. Right now he wanted to taste her, every inch of her if he could, beginning with her mouth.

How did he suddenly go from barely being able to bring himself to kiss her to wanting to ravish her? Was her sweet confession all he had needed to hear? Alice loved him! Were the thoughts still Bad? No, they couldn't be, for Alice didn't seem to mind. In fact, if her kisses her any indication, she wanted him as badly as he wanted her!

Her Alice-passion began to rise and cloak him along with the other wonderful sensations already seeping into his very being. Tarrant was only mildly surprised when she opened her mouth to invite his tongue inside.

He plunged it into her moist depths, probably too quickly and forcefully, but he had been unable to help himself. He tried to draw back a little, to rectify his error, but a soft chuckle vibrated across his lips and her hands twined into his mussed hair to keep his head just where it was.

Her curious little tongue sliding along his was bold now, and its movements certain. Alice wanted to explore his mouth, but he wanted to explore hers first! A gentle battle for dominance began, but, in an attempt to be a gentleman, Tarrant allowed her to win this first round.

He felt Alice's tongue slowly slide along his lips, tickling them and almost making him giggle, before gliding along his teeth. When she poked the tip between his gap, she was the one to giggle, but quickly recovered her poise and foraged further. Tarrant could almost hear a quill scratching on the parchment inside her mind, taking notes of how he felt and tasted, what made him groan and gasp, and an especially furious scribbling was what finally drove him to pull her lower body closer to his and allow her to feel his arousal.

He knew he should be embarrassed by the Shameless evidence of his desire pressing against her soft belly, but her own responding movements against him nullified that idea at once. She was welcoming him! All of him!

Tarrant now demanded her surrender and the kiss became his. He explored her sweet little cave, thoroughly investigating each smooth tooth and moist crevasse. Her tongue allowed his to slide over and around it and soon she was moaning along with him as her hips involuntarily bucked against his arousal.

Suddenly she broke the kiss and tilted her head back, exposing her neck.

"Tarrant, please!"

Her gasp of trust and surrender was his undoing. It was also the beginning of the end of her night-gown.

Tarrant's body was uncomfortably yet deliciously warm as he pressed open-mouthed kisses to her throat. As he sucked and nipped the delicate flesh there, trying to resist the urge to Mark her. His bare hands (when had his bandages disappeared?) fumbled with the buttons of that travesty of a garment she wore. The tiny buttons stubbornly resisted his desperate onslaught and remained firmly fastened inside their frumious little holes.

"Oh, Tarrant, just get rid of it!"

Had she really said that? Tarrant replayed her words in his mind, picking up and resetting the needle of the phonograph of speech that resided in his mind. And there were her words, echoing once more. She had! She had indeed given him permission to remove the barrier between their bodies!

"Away with it, aye!" he growled against the soft flesh beneath her ear. His hands rent the fabric and the tiny buttons flew aside with protests that he cheerfully ignored as they struck the walls, counter-top, chairs and table. Yes! It was gone! But...sod it! There was now her chemise and bloomers. It seemed he had more to battle before she would be beautifully bare.

"Allow me, Tarrant," Alice whispered, pulling back from him.

He reluctantly released her and she stepped back. "Sit down," she said, beckoning to a chair.

Tarrant pulled the chair away from the table and to the centre of the floor. He sat and watched her, unwilling to blink for fear of missing a single moment of her disrobing.

She had been wise to put distance between them, for had she not, he would be unable to enjoy the wickedly sensual pleasure of seeing her skin being slowly revealed as her delicate butterfly fingers slowly and teasingly moved to the hem of her chemise and begin to inch it upward.

Tarrant sucked in his breath as he saw her bare midriff exposed to his hungry gaze. His already voracious appetite was whetted further as he saw her cupids bow mouth curve into _that _sort of smile.

"Do you like what you see?" she asked huskily.

He could see that she was nervous, but he easily excused that. Of course she would be, for likely she had never been with a man before, and baring herself to him drew upon more of her Muchness than slaying the Jabberwocky had.

Tarrant tried to speak, but his throat was strangely and frustratingly constricted. He nodded instead, and wondered if his eyes were changing colour. Were they lavender, as he knew they were when he thought of his love for her? Were they also perhaps tinged with the gold of desire, and even, perhaps, the white flecks of lust?

Whatever they revealed evidently pleased her, for she smiled once more and inched the chemise up further, revealing the bottoms of her breasts. Tarrant felt his hands clench the sides of the chair. He must not rush to her! Not yet!

Her breasts had ripened in the time she had been away, for they were certainly more lush then they had been before, if his occasional peeks at them through her various gowns last time she had been here had been any correct indicator. The line between them and her midriff wanted kissing, but he knew he must not just yet. She wanted him to Wait, and Wait he would.

Alice's lips quivered momentarily with renewed nervousness. Then, her eyes meeting his, and seeing his eagerness and appreciation for her womanly form so far, she pulled the offending thing completely up and over her head and tossed it aside.

Her breasts bounced and jiggled as the chemise was thrown aside and a nipple was suddenly in his mouth and his hands were kneading her globes as he was (how?) on his knees (when?) before her and she was gasping in surprise and delight.

He pressed his naked chest (when had he removed his clothing? There were lots of layers, after all, and... _Don't think, laddie!_) to her thinly covered thighs as he suckled her little apricot nipple. He then drew it between the gap in his teeth and sucked slightly harder, causing her to giggle at first, then her knees to sag. Tarrant wrapped his strong arms around her thighs and held her upright so he could continue to enjoy her breasts.

No, _his _breasts, too! And they were, they were! She was_ his _now, wasn't she? She loved him, and she was giving herself to him. Yes, she was _all _his. Her Alice-person, her Alice-mind, heart, thoughts, emotions, and her body as well.

"Mine!" he vaguely heard himself growl as he stood and moved to her other breast to kiss and suckle and worship (and yes, to Mark).

"Yes, yes," Alice gasped, "yours!"

She gasped as he teased her nipple into a hardness that must have been almost painful. He knew that arousal-to-the-point-of-pain feeling quite well. In fact, he knew it _too_ well. He had only himself to tend to his raging desire for her while she was away. When the Need became too great he had to touch himself and imagine that it was she who was caressing him, stroking him, whispering his name, wanting more, more, ever more!

_Stop it! Slow down else ye'll not be able to pleasure the lass properly!_

Suddenly Alice pulled away from him, panting. "Sit down," she said, gesturing to the chair once more. "I need to Bind you to your Throne."

The words were odd, yet they made a strange sort of sense. (What sense? _Stop thinking about it!)_ He seated himself slowly as Alice looked to be trying to compose herself. He couldn't resist a smirk when he saw the pink spot on her right breast that would surely darken into a nicely made Mark! _Well done, Hightopp! _

"Smirking now, are we?" she teased, eyes glowing with mirth. From beneath the waistline of her bloomers she suddenly produced several white scarves. "Well, smirk away," she continued, "when you are tied and I can do with you whatever I please!"

Tarrant giggled, an octave higher than he intended, then cleared his throat and attempted to regain the loss of dignity. Well, as much dignity as a naked man sitting on a kitchen chair could conceivably have.

"I think I shall smirk quite a bit, my Alice!"

The young woman blushed and averted her gaze while Tarrant sat compliantly. She bound his wrists to the arms of the chair firmly, but not overly tightly, and then she secured his ankles to the legs.

"There!" she said, surveying her work, and then, for the first time ever, allowed her gaze to light directly on his manhood.

"Oh, my!" she whispered, whether in awe, fear, or both, Tarrant could not discern.

"Alice?"

"I'm...all right," she said wonderingly, her eyes large and now blue-silver. She knelt before him and peered closer. "I've...never seen a man before. Well," she blushed, "other than in books that I was not supposed to see! I...I just never expected it to be so...so..."

"Large? Strange?" No response. She just continued to stare at his Little Hatter! "Um...please don't think he's scary, lass!"

"Oh, no!" Her eyes flitted up to his. "Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of..cute.".

"Cute?" Tarrant suddenly wasn't sure if he should be offended or not. Truthfully, he was not offended, but surely he should at least pretend to be! "Alice, a man's...Manhood, is not..._cute_!"

"Oh?" She quirked a golden brow at him. "Why ever not? Yours is beautifully pale with a hint of lavender. The tip is almost purple, which I adore, and the head also looks sort of like a mushroom! And I rather think mushrooms are cute! Besides, it all nestles in the most dreamy and candy-coloured orange nest that I could ever wish for my Little Hatter!"

She called it _her_ Little Hatter! Tarrant burst into laughter.

"What's so funny?" she asked, with obvious mock displeasure.

"I think of him as _my_ Little Hatter!"

Alice laughed now, too. "Do you? Well, what a wonderful co-incidence!" Then she peered at the engorged root once more. "However, he's really not so little, is he?" She touched a fingertip to its base and gently traced it upwards to the head. Tarrant groaned and Alice grinned. "In fact," she added, "I would say that he is impressively large! Yes..._quite _impressively large."

"Alice," he groaned, as her fingertip brushed the sensitive tip, "please! You are testing my endurance! If you don't slow down, I'll not be able to give you what I think we both want."

She returned her gaze to his face. "I beg your pardon?"

"I...ah..." Tarrant was determined to choose his words carefully. "Alice, if you please me too much, I'll lose what it is that keeps me hard. If I am not hard, then I cannot...that is..."

"You won't be able to make me a woman in the way we are about to?" Her eyes were large, but filled with unmistakable tenderness.

"That's right."

"Well, can't it become hard again?"

"Of course! But it would take some time, and..."

"That's good enough for me," she said saucily and grinned at him. "Tarrant, please allow me to do as I wish! I may not know what I'm doing exactly, but I think that what I want to do will guide me. Besides, you can tell me what you like, can't you?"

Tarrant didn't respond, as thoughts of his Alice touching him, and better yet, _wanting _to touch him, were consuming his brain and shoving aside all coherent thought.

He felt her warm hand grasp his root gently and begin to stroke the flesh in a tentative upward and downward motion. He groaned loudly and his eyes flew down to her, kneeling before him, her face between his knees and studying her own hand and the reactions she was eliciting from him with her simple, untried touches.

He saw her smile as she experimented with her grip and speed. She stroked his shaft up and down, and occasionally flicked her thumb over the smooth tip. Tarrant twitched and moaned. Had he ever felt a touch so divine? He closed his eyes to better savour every delightful sensation. After a few minutes of sweet torment he felt her stop.

"What's this?" she asked.

Tarrant looked down and saw the drops of pre-cum she was now staring at with unabashed curiosity.

"That's my seed, Alice. It means I am coming closer to...releasing it."

"Oh!" She leaned so close to his Little Hatter now that he could feel her warm breath.

"Alice," he groaned, "please! Ah can nae tek much mauer!"

She didn't seem to hear him. She studied the translucent white droplets, and then, to his surprise she swept them onto her index finger and lifted it to her nose, sniffing.

"Slightly salty and musky," she observed, her voice lowering a little. "I wonder..."

Tarrant was so entranced by the sight that he could not speak, could not tell her to _not do it! _But...did he want to stop her? Did he really?

Alice's kitten tongue emerged from between her coral lips and swiftly swept away the droplets. She cocked her head as she swirled her tongue against the roof of her mouth for a few moments before swallowing.

"I think I rather like your taste, Tarrant," she said. Then, after pondering for a moment, she nodded decisively. "Yes, I do, indeed. I like your taste!"

"Oh, by the White!" he groaned, the discomfort of his arousal heightening at her confession.

She didn't ask him for permission, not even when he tensed and strained against his bonds (not to stop her, but to endure his ever growing and intensifying need). He was thankful for the bonds, for they allowed him to struggle and have some small outlet for the raging passion that was focused in his loins. Alice truly had no idea of what she was doing to him! Yet...he would have it no other way. He wanted her to make him suffer like this. He gloried in every moment and delighted in her joy at learning his body and taking obvious pleasure in doing so.

No, she didn't ask his permission as she leaned forward and flicked her tongue over his "mushroom" tip. Tarrant gritted his teeth, torn between begging her to stop and pleading with her to continue indefinitely. Her warm and eager Alice-mouth now closed over the head firmly and began to suck.

"Alice!" Tarrant cried out, much as he had the countless times he had touched himself and called her name in desperation and much-needed relief.

"Hmmm?" she asked, not removing her mouth from him, but experimentally drawing in more of his length. She seemed to realise that he was not asking her a question at all, but rather, enjoying what she was doing.

Oh, and he was! As long as he had waited for her to return to him, and as long as he had dreamed of at long last confessing his love to her, he had never dared to believe, truly believe, that he would have the opportunity to do so. And he had certainly not dared to hope that she would ever do _this _for him, and enjoy it! She clearly did.

Tarrant could not tear his eyes from the site of her golden head as she began to bob in a slow rhythm. Occasionally she would pause to suck on him a little harder or to trace her tongue over an engorged vein or swirl around his throbbing shaft. He could see her continue to minister to him diligently, and after a few minutes he realised that she was determined to draw his entire length into her mouth. He knew better, however. He was rather on the large size of men, (and he did not stop to ponder on why he knew that) but he knew that it would take Alice more than one time to master such a feat.

"Alice," he said, desperately now, "An can nae wait much longer! Please, please let meh...hae yeh!"

Slowly, as if to tease him, she drew her mouth up and off, dragging her teeth gently across the engorged head. She licked her lips, making them shine, and looked at him.

"Are you sure?"

He couldn't help but laugh. "Am Ah sure? Lass, Ah've wanted yeh sew badleh fer sew long Ah can nae tell yeh!"

"Very well," she replied, grinning. She gave his Little Hatter one final, teasing lick before she rose and studied her bound and quivering lover.

"You are incredibly beautiful, Tarrant," she said quietly and reverently, sweeping her gaze over his entire body. "And...yes. Keep your top hat on!"

He was still wearing his top hat? Why, he hadn't planned on that! How..._ Don't think about it!_

"But first," she said teasingly, reaching for the small shears on the kitchen table, "your hair wants cutting!"

Odd, Tarrant thought, he didn't recall placing shears on the table. Then he shrugged. It wasn't important. What was important was that Alice was here and they should just enjoy each other.

Alice moved behind him, leaned down and kissed his ear. "Tarrant," she breathed airily, "do you mind if I take a lock?"

Her nipples brushing between his shoulders made him shudder and inhale sharply.

"Geh ahead, lass!" He had no idea why she decided that now, of all times, she wanted a lock of his hair, but who was he to complain? After all, taking a lock of hers had crossed his muddled mind more than once. However, his mind was not so muddled lately, he suddenly realised. Ever since he had met Alice again, his mind had become less murky and crowded with Voices. Thinking of her calmed and focused him almost as much as hat-making did.

_Snip! _"I have a lovely one, Tarrant!" Alice said, passing the lock before his eyes triumphantly. "Now, are you ready for me?" She stopped speaking and giggled. "Never mind, I do believe that I already asked you that!"

Alice came around and faced him. "Shall I untie you, Tarrant?"

"Yes," he lisped, barely able to believe that she was going to allow him to make love to her completely. She was giving herself to him! She loved him and she was going to be utterly his!

"Ah, Alice, Ah can nae believe tha' yeh love meh!"

"I do love you, Tarrant," she said, untying him swiftly. As he flexed his fingers and toes and shifted his limbs, Alice continued. "I've longed for this moment, Tarrant! I...I think of you all the time. I feel incomplete without you." She inhaled and exhaled. Then she smiled and sat on the chair between his thighs, facing him and draping her legs over the tops of his.

Unbidden, Tarrant hands found her hips and pulled her closer, his erection probing the moistness between her open thighs (open for _him!_).

"Alice," he said, "Ah wanted teh taste o' yeh first."

"Taste..of me?" She snuggled closer. "I don't know what you mean."

Oh, the sweet, innocent girl! He would have to show her, teach her everything he knew; and what he didn't know they would discover together.

"Ah want teh taste yeh lak yeh tasted meh." He brought a hand around and snaked it between her spread legs. The moment his fingers probed her maidenhood her eyes widened and she gasped and shuddered.

"Oh, Tarrant! That's...that's..."

Tarrant smiled as he wriggled his fingers, delighted when her eyes rolled upwards and she quivered. When he teased his fingertips over her clit her moistness became wetness and he couldn't resist swirling his fingers over and around that sensitive nub. Her head lolled backwards and her hips bucked against his hand.

Well, he thought, he may not taste of her this time, but he could do this! She clutched his shoulders but only one hand could clasp him, as the other was still holding his lock of hair. Tarrant watched her face as a myriad of expressions including confusion, curiosity, embarrassment, and delight danced across it. He now varied his movements, slipping a finger along and then inside her wet slit. She rode his fingers and the thumb pressing and circling her clit until her shuddering culminated in a wracking spasm of bliss.

"Tarrant! I...I had no idea this could be so...euphoric!"

Her face was radiant and her eyes showed more silver than ever. Why were her eyes changing?

"Tarrant, I'm ready now! Please!"

He didn't need a second invitation. Her arms were around his neck and his hands were on her hips, pulling her forward and the tip of him was slipping inside her; her hot, warm, and welcoming place that was just for him.

He kissed her cheeks and lips and forehead, hoping to distract her from the pain he knew he must be causing her. There were tears in her eyes, but her determination and Muchness shone through as she continued to wriggle, breathe heavily and urge her body to stretch and wrap around him and welcome him Inside.

Tarrant hated hurting her, but it seemed that his kisses and caresses were helping. His Alice was not asking him to stop. In fact, she was urging him on.

"Tarrant, I love you so much!" she murmured against his lips.

"Alice, I love you, too! I...I can't believe you are...that we are..." Thankfully he had his brogue under control!

"Shhh..." she said, kissing his lips again, and this time when he gently pushed and she urged her pelvis forward, they finally connected completely.

Alice sighed in relief. Tarrant leaned back and looked down, barely able to believe that their bodies were joined so intimately! He narrowed his eyes and couldn't help but stare at this miracle. She had given him the most precious gift of all; her love! And she had also given him her body. Although, he knew, he had best not move until she gave him the word. He didn't want to cause her...

"Tarrant...are you all right?" she asked him, her face shiny with perspiration.

"Am I...Am I all right?" he stammered. "Lass, I'm in yeh up teh th' hilt an' yeh..." (_Stop the brogue, laddie! Keep your head!_) "Alice, I'm the one who...who hurt you, and..."

"I'm fine, Tarrant," she said, and he felt her relaxing gradually around him.

Ah, she felt wonderful now! Not that she hadn't before, but now that her body was accommodating him and she wasn't in so much discomfort, she felt incredible!

"You can move now," she whispered, kissing the tip of his nose playfully.

Tarrant hugged her tightly and when he assured himself that her body was no longer taut with pain, he decided to bend to her will. Slowly, very slowly, he began to move within her. He watched her face closely for any sign that he was hurting her.

"Tarrant," she said, noticing his concern, "don't worry! This feels...well...better!"

She was a brave one, his Alice was! Tarrant kissed her deeply and pulled her pelvis closer. Alice was loving him! She was wanting him and being with him and now, she was a part of him!

Suddenly her lips left his and he felt kisses peppering his face. "Tarrant, it's all right! I'm fine! Please, don't cry!"

Puzzled, Tarrant raised a hand to his face. It came away wet with tears!

"I...Alice...I'm not...I mean I am, but...I must be crying because I'm so happy!"

"Happy?"

"Yes! You love me! You came to me and you gave me your love! And not only that, you want to be with me and want me with you and inside you and..."

Alice laughed and kissed him again. "I adore you, Tarrant! I was wondering if you were in pain, or perhaps even regretting..."

"Regretting?" He stared at her, incredulous. "How could I regret any of this? You are the best thing in my life! You are my world, Alice! You are my world and my dreams and my stars and my... Alice, you're my Everything!"

"Well..." Her brow furrowed for a moment, and then smoothed. She smiled. "I didn't know! I just saw your tears and wondered if you were all right."

"I'm better than all right, my Alice," he said, "I couldn't be better if I wanted to be, because I couldn't possibly want to be better. That would be impossible for even me, even if I tried to believe that it wasn't impossible."

"Then prove it," she said, nudging her hips forward. "Prove it right now!"

Tarrant closed his eyes for a moment as her eager body clamped firmly and purposefully around that part of him that now felt so at Home. He tilted his pelvis so that he was slightly more beneath her and Alice raised herself in order to come down upon him more fully.

She bit her lip and winced once, but then she relaxed and moved insistently on him, tightening her thigh muscles to raise and lower herself. Tarrant pulled her hips downward, then helped raise her until they found just the right rhythm.

Groaning, sighing, grunting, and perspiring, they came together again and again until Alice gasped loudly and came down upon him to stay. She stared into his eyes.

"I...I feel as though I'm...coming apart!" she whispered frantically.

Tarrant held her firmly and made circular motions with his hips, feeling every possible space inside her, rubbing every wall and nudging toward the very edge of her womb. He sharply bit his own lip as he probed as deeply inside her as he could. This was his Alice welcoming him to the very depths of her body, even as she was welcoming him completely into her heart!

It was all he could do to keep his eyes open to gaze into hers as he saw them flicker from azure to silver, then almost white, and then back to azure again as she convulsed and shuddered around him. The panting and mewling sounds of her pleasure pushed him over the edge of his own abyss and even as he felt himself fall, he knew he was in actuality flying, or floating, or..._don't think; just feel! _

It was the aftershocks of his peak of bliss that caused Tarrant to shake violently and clutch his Alice so tightly against his chest. He cried out endearments that were unintelligible, yet he knew she understood. He shuddered and quivered and his legs spasmed so powerfully that he heard the sound of something cracking.

Had they splintered the legs of the chair?

Suddenly they plummeted to the floor, the chair breaking beneath them. Alice's eyes were closed and the lock of his orange hair was laying in her open, motionless hand.

Tarrant flipped himself onto his knees, terrified.

"Alice! Alice, are yeh all righ'?"

She didn't respond. He gently slapped her cheeks, desperately hoping to see her eyes open. Nothing.

"Alice!" He knew that she should be all right, that the fall wasn't so far nor so bad, but why wasn't she conscious?

"Alice!" he cried out again, this time pressing his ear to her breast. Thank Goodness! He heard a strong and steady heart-beat. He sighed in relief and did not move. The sound of her heart was so welcome and comforting. It was so constant and soothing. In fact, it was almost like a lullaby. He closed his eyes. Yes, all was well.

And then he felt it; the smallest surge of panic and an underlying feeling of loss. The golden tinge of Promise was still there, but the sense of loss shoved its way to the forefront of his mind.

He tried to open his eyes, but they may as well have been glued shut. He could not force them open no matter how hard he tried. He groped for Alice, and pressed his head harder against her breast, but she was feeling less solid by the moment.

Where was she going? Why couldn't he open his eyes?

_It's time. It's time to Awaken._

What? That made no sense!

And then Tarrant lost all awareness.

* * *

He awoke on the kitchen floor, naked, cold, and confused. His eyes sluggishly opened and took in the scene. He lay beside a broken chair. And then the memories flooded back. Alice had been here! She had been here with him!

Or...had she? There was no sign of her. He struggled to his knees and searched the floor and then the room. Alice was nowhere to be seen. Had it all been a dream? Had he gone Mad and imagined her with him in this room?

But then his eyes caught sight of himself and he looked down more closely. Yes, she _had _been there with him! There was no doubt at all!

Tarrant never would have imagined that the sight of blood mixed with seed on his member would be so beautiful to him.

He raised a hopeful hand to his hair where she had cut it. Yes...a piece was missing. She had gone away. For now. But she had taken his lock of hair with her.

Underland had given them a Gift. She had given them time together. And Tarrant Hightopp knew in his heart that this would not be the only time they would come together before she returned to Stay.

Tarrant rose to his feet. He would clothe himself but not bathe; not today. He wanted to keep that precious evidence of Alice with him a while longer. He would spend the day outside. He would walk and walk and walk, and take in every precious sight that he could. And he would thank the Spirit of Underland.


End file.
